AutoCAD 360 is a lightweight and reliable piece of software created specifically for computers, tablets or mobile phones running Windows 8.1 as an operating system, whose main purpose is to help you open and view CAD files on your device, at any moment.

Initial usagerequirements

The application can only be installed from the Store and requires you to have an AutoDesk account in order to be able to work with it.

Once you have logged in using your credentials (email address and password), you will be able to access the files that you have previously stored on your account, right from AutoCAD 360.

Swiftly open and view your CAD drawings on your PC or a mobile device

The utility is able to work with all the popular CAD format files, namely DWG, DXF and DWF, meaning you can easily open and view their contents, simply by clicking on the item you want to work with in the program’s main screen.

The design is initially displayed in full size, but you can resort to the ‘Zoom Extents’ function, that will adjust the image to the dimensions of your screen, with a simple mouse click.

Unfortunately, this feature is not customizable, meaning that you cannot zoom in any further or focus on a specific section of your file. Using the ‘Layouts’ menu of AutoCAD 360, you can decide which layer of your sketch you want to analyze in detail by selecting the preferred one from the drop-down menu.

While the tool is synced with your AutoDesk account, it does not serve in loading new drawings to it, so you need to resort to a web browser if you wish to do that. Similarly, the files cannot be shared with other users, nor can they be exported or printed using this application.

A useful CAD viewer for Windows 8.1

Overall, AutoCAD 360 for Windows 8.1 proves to be a handy albeit rather limited utility that can help you have access to your CAD designs at a moment's notice, sparing you from needing to carry heavy papers with you everywhere, by keeping all your files in one neat location.

AutoCAD 360 for Windows 8.1 was reviewed by Marina Dan, last updated on July 29th, 2014